Effective Ways To Ease Your Bunion Pain

A hallux valgus, or bunion, as it’s commonly known, is a bony bump that pokes out of the base of your big toe. They develop when the bones of your big toe become misaligned, which causes the toe to angle towards the one next to it, sometimes even over or underlapping it. This puts pressure on your toe joint, causing it to swell, and become very red and painful. Luckily, there are some simple and effective ways to ease this pain, so ensure you read ahead before taking another painful step.

Sensible Shoes

Bunions are seen as being genetic and are caused by being born with flat feet or feet that roll inward more than normal. However, bunions are triggered by the shoes you wear and are further irritated by them if the shoes aren’t changed. Shoes that are too tight and ones that are pointy and narrow at the end, as well as high heels, which result in your toes being pushed right to the front of the shoe, all make the problem worse, so it’s no surprise that it’s women who have 90% of all bunions. Switching your shoes is often enough to reduce the pain of bunions, especially if they have a square toe, to ensure your feet fit comfortably. Shoe Finale compares some of the best shoes for bunions, so go and check them out.

Braces & Splints

Some of these products claim to correct your bunion, which simply isn’t possible, but they can move your toe into its proper position. This will reduce the tension and pressure on the toe joint, and so it can reduce the pain of your bunion while you’re wearing your splint or brace. However, these aren’t a one size fits all kind of product, and different brands of splint and brace will look and feel slightly different. In fact, some can be worn with shoes, while others are bigger and are only meant to be worn at night, so you will have to try out a few different ones to see which one suits and fits you best.

Medication

There is a range of different types anti-inflammatory medication, which will reduce the swelling of your bunion and help to reduce your pain. There are some oral medications, such as ibuprofen tablets, which you can pick up from any supermarket or pharmacy, that could help you out. However, tablets aren’t a localized treatment, and so are unlikely to work well for severe pain caused by bunions. There are anti-inflammatory creams and gels you can use, which are localized but won’t have as strong an effect. If your pain is severe, you may have to have injections of cortisone into the joint, which will do a much better job than any tablet or cream. However, this will only temporarily reduce your pain, as swelling will start to build up again relatively quickly.

Like with back pain, foot pain can cause you to struggle with simple everyday tasks. Hopefully one of these ways will help you to ease the pain of your bunions. If not, you should always go and speak to a doctor, as they may advise you that you need surgery.